The present application is related to coupling devices and, more particularly, to systems and methods of coupling plain end pipes.
Pipes can be coupled together in a variety of ways to provide a continuous tubular conduit. For example, some pipes are welded, fused, or otherwise adhesively attached together. Other pipes may be threaded such that one pipe can be threadably engaged to another. The formation of such pipe joints in these manners can be laborious and time-consuming. Moreover, the manufacturing of threaded pipes can be quite costly as opposed to producing plain end pipes.
Mechanical couplings for plain end pipes have been proposed previously, which do not require threading of the pipe ends or welding or adhesive attachment of the connecting fittings. However, such constructions are often relegated to small diameter piping systems operating at relatively low pressures since problems of coupling slippage on the pipe ends can arise through axial loading of the pipes.